Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-23

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poyerful than ever. The debt question
which was declared settled in 1888, IS
now. in 1887, unsettled. and if possible
in worse shape than ever. although the
affairs ofihe State mean while have been
exclusively under Democratic control
In the interval, having amended the
laws on which the debt settlement was
dependent for success. contrary 70
their plightcd faith the Democrats
have seriously proposed, through their
leader in the Senate, TO repeal all the
legislation supplemental to that biii'
thus confirming the destruction OF the
measure by their own intermeddling.
BRITISH BONDHoLDERs.
They have invited the British bond
| holders here for conference and adjust
ment, and appointed n committee to
deal with them. carefully excluding
from that committee any representative
of the Republican party. This Itself
was an outrage upon the Republicans
cf Virginia, who are in majority OF
| 10000, according to the returns OF the
| last general election in this State. and
who are taxpayers, rs much Interested
in this question as the Democratic
MISUNDERSTANDING stake in the Com
monweath and her concerns that
would have suggested ut least some
representation for them to any but
Bourbon partisans. Being non-polltl-
cal. the question should have been
| treated outside of party lines.
Hut the Bourbon leaders, Tins as
suming the entire responsibility for the
negotiations with the British bond
holders. proceeded to receive from
them, ana make to them, offers which
were not OH the basis of the settlement
to which they were pledged. Five
times in the Bourbon Legislature then
in session resolutions directing the Nlr-
oinia Committee to tender to the British
| commissioners our debt settlement OF
| 1882 were voted down, and we charge
that that settlement never was rendered
10 the British commissioners. On the
contrary. the Virginia Committee ten
| dcred a settlement to the British COM
missioners. which. both as to amount
and az TO the feature OF taX-recelvable
coupons. was in violation of their pledge
| 10 maintain the debt settlement as that
Of their own party. and was an aban-
donment of that settlement.
Now that the Democrats have assem-
hled at Roanoke and again pledged
themselves to stand by our settlement
"a settlement which they have virtually
| DESTROYED. they seem to think that
public confidence has put no limit to
It's credulity, and that this simple de-
caration is al-suiiicient to restore to
them the wavering popular support
They apparently forget that this
declaration is not such as it would have
been before they tempered with that
settlement. They seem to forget that
such declaration is now in defiance OF
creditor and court, who have taken pO-
sitiou on this settlement by their III
yitatiOn. They apparently fail to
realize that standing by tins settlement
which they themselves have unsettled
neither settles the questions they
have rcopencd, pays the debt
nor binders the absorption OF
revenue by the coupons. which
are AGAIN active and seii-asserting. The
most that they propose Is to stand still
| w the shattered fragments OF that set
t.omcnt. and allow their funding bill
and brokers' bill mortgages upon our
revenues to bury the taxable energies
Of orr people beneath coupons, accu-
mulating ut the rate Of -, 80, OOO an
nually. 1t is an evasion of the press
INC, living question which is upper
NEST in the mind of every citizen OF
| Virginia, and more important than all
others to the progress and prosperity
of the State.
It's for you to decide, fellow-citizens,
whether You will again accept their
apologies and leave the debt settlement
| i'm their hands to go from bad to worse,
or. ere Il is too late, recOmmit the mat
fer TO those whose work the Democratic
party endorsed and have adOpted-a
work which would doubtless have gone
10 full success but for their ignorant
tampering with its vital parts-a work
which they can never complete, be-
cause they lack the capacity to COM
prehend and the disposition to meet
the exigcncies of the question.
We believe, fellow-citizens. that you
}caitily desire prompt and final set
Element OF tins question. Your every
interest demands this. Your State is
differing untold injury every hour it IS
DELAYED. We believe that if power is
delegated to the Republican party it
will not stand still, but will proceed
PROMPTLY to such measures rs will effect
D. final disposition Of this long-agltated
nd much-complicatcd problem upon
terms which, while in no wise dishon-
orable to You or the State, must be ac-
ceptable to the creditors, and without
increasing your taxable burdens.
EDERAL AID ~ THE DIET SETTLEMENT.
| Finb. As to Federal aid in the debt
settlement. This idea, feebly pre-
e,nted 10y its proponents without any
confidence on their part. has no merit
of originality, and is not offered to you
with the courage OF their convictions
that it is practicable. IT was first adj
vanced by the late Henry A. Wise in Il
speech at West Point, Va, December,
1874. No man in Virginia was further
away from these Bourbon leaders in
bis feelings than was Governor Wise.
He had denounced their incompetency
on the debt question, their dishonesty
and hypocrisy in elections, aud
had stamped them with the
undying description that they had
outscalawagged the scalawaggers aud
out-carpetbagged the carpetbaggers."
This Federal aid was next advocated
by the Hon James &. Blaine, of Maine,
the Republican candidate for President
of the United States against Mr.. Cleve-
land. If it is ever given effect, it will
I've in opposition to the narrow views
of Federal power entertained by the
Democracy, and through the liberal
construction contended for by the Re-
publican party. 1t remains to be seen
whether the people, knowing that the
principle of such aid is contrary to
Democratic doctrine, and that the idea
originated outside the Democratic
party, will be deluded by the hope that
it can be successfully carried out by
the Democracy of Virginia.
As to the promised aid for our dis
abled soldiers and their widows. The
Republican party will cheerfully unite
in every such effort in the future as it